Personal norms and pro-environmental binning behaviour of visitors in national parks: the development of a conceptual framework

ABSTRACT

National park tourism is an increasing trend worldwide. Understanding national park visitors’ pro-environmental behaviour is crucial as sustainability is a vital issue in the nature-based tourism industry. The primary objective of this study is to develop a conceptual model for explaining low-cost pro-environmental behaviour (i.e. behavioural choices involving low personal costs); more specifically, binning behaviour in a national park context. In this sense, we delineate low-cost pro-environmental behaviour (i.e. bin use) from high-cost forms of pro-environmental behaviour (e.g. picking up other litter) and further focus on a specific site (i.e. a national park). This study considers pro-environmental binning behaviour as a socially responsible behaviour (e.g. helping others) which is perceived more likely to be morally grounded. By considering binning behaviour as a pro-environmental personal norm and acknowledging it as a potential mediator between attitude, social norms, awareness of consequences, perceived behavioural control, and pro-environmental binning intention, this study develops a conceptual model of pro-environmental binning behaviour. The research’s theoretical contributions, its restrictions and practical implications for national parks are further discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Pro-environmental behaviour
• binning behaviour
• littering
• personal norms
• nature-based tourism
• national parks

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Kourosh (Korey) Esfandiar is a PhD candidate in the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University, Australia. Korey’s primary research interests are entrepreneurship and sustainability with a particular focus and passion for understanding the socio-psychological concept of ‘behaviour’ in the travel and tourism context. His other research interests entail security and safety, heritage and place attachment. His current research interest relates to people’s sustainable behaviour (pro-environmental behaviour) in nature-based tourism. Although his background is in tourism marketing, he approaches tourists’ sustainable consumption and behaviour from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

Joanna Pearce, PhD, is a Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality Management within the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University. Joanna's research interests focus on the affective relationships visitors form with tourism and hospitality environments, particularly in relation to nature-based tourism. Her previous research has examined the concepts of place attachment, visitor satisfaction and loyalty, pro-environmental behaviours, visitor motivations and preferences.

Ross Dowling OAM is Foundation Professor of Tourism at the School of Business and Law. He conducts international research on ecotourism, cruise ship tourism and geotourism. He is a Member, World Commission on Protected Areas (Switzerland); Co-founder, International Cruise Research Society (Germany); and Advisor, UNESCO Global Geoparks (France). In Western Australia he is Chair of Cruise Western Australia; Vice President, Royal Automobile Club; Member, Conservation & Parks Commission; and a Parks Ambassador appointed by the Governor of Western Australia. He has authored or edited many books including Natural area tourism, Cruise ship tourism, and Geotourism.

ORCID

Kourosh Esfandiar http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6242-2899

Joanna Pearce http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9260-4842

Ross Dowling http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2991-0783